Software-controlled Virtualized Mobile Networks are referred to as Software Defined Networking Network Function Virtualization (SDN-NFV) networks in the industry. Such networks offer the ability to be configured dynamically under the control of the service provider, a network partner, or the end-user. Several new business cases are expected to be facilitated by such networks. Generally, SDN-NFV mobile networks look very similar to Data Center and Web Service Networks, so synergizing such networks can produce many positive business scenarios.
Today, there are a plethora of ways to make voice calls using Over-The-Top (OTT) techniques, such as Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook, GoogleTalk, etc. While these techniques provide the basic voice communication services to the end users, often the quality is sub-optimal and is not guaranteed. Yet, users often use these methods because it is cheap and the users are tolerant to certain degradation in quality of experience (including having to call multiple times when the call drops). In contrast, carriers such as AT&T have been offering a high quality, high reliability voice calls over its wireless and wired networks. However, since these calls use the licensed spectrum and network infrastructure, the user is charged for them. The users tend to use these high-quality voice services either when there is no cheaper alternative or when they cannot tolerate the undependable quality of the OTT techniques. For carriers, the problem is to find novel ways to retain the users within their networks to use their services.
Quality of Experience (QoE) is a known quality measure for networks. For example, WO 2016/091292 discloses a QoE enforcement system for a communications network that uses a QoE orchestrator to monitor data traffic related to a terminal device in order to detect the data flow related to an application session. The network node derives resource requirement information defining a QoE level to be provided to the terminal device regarding the application session and also performs QoE measurements to obtain information on QoE experience by the terminal device regarding the application session. Based on the QoE measurements, the network node executes one or more actions in order to enforce the QoE of the application session to meet resource requirements. Thus, the system adjusts itself to maintain a preset QoE level but does not permit a user to select the desired QoE level. Similar monitoring and control is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 9,426,029. Other systems, such as that described in US 2016/0204995 provide a dynamic selector for Quality of Service (QoS) control. A similar system for dynamic QoS control is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,219,765. However, none of these systems enables user control of QoE or parameters for network service using the SDN controlled NFV network tools.
This disclosure is directed to providing a way for users to choose the quality of service they are to receive in a virtualized communications environment, for example.